REET 2021 paper leak: Raj Minister Kirodi Lal Meena writes to Amit Shah, seeks CBI-ED probe
Synopsis
With NEET dominating national headlines, Rajasthan Minister Kirodi Lal Meena has escalated the REET 2021 paper leak controversy directly to Home Minister Amit Shah — alleging 17 of 18 major exams were compromised under Congress rule, naming former ministers, and demanding CBI-ED action. The move sharpens BJP's counter-offensive as the exam integrity debate intensifies across India.
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan Minister Dr Kirodi Lal Meena has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking a CBI and ED probe into alleged paper leaks during the previous Congress government.
The letter alleges that 17 of 18 major competitive examinations during the Congress's five-year tenure were systematically leaked.
Named in the letter: former Education Minister Govind Singh Dotasra and former Technical Education Minister Dr Subhash Garg , along with former CMO officials and RPSC office-bearers.
An unnamed former Congress minister is alleged to have accumulated nearly ₹40 crore through a paper leak syndicate, reportedly used to fund projects in Sikar .
The REET 2021 printing contract was allegedly awarded to Kolkata -based Saraswati Printing Press in violation of prescribed rules, for a second consecutive time.
The Congress party and named individuals had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of reporting.
Rajasthan Minister Dr Kirodi Lal Meena has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding a Central agency investigation into alleged paper leak cases during the previous Indian National Congress (Congress) government's tenure in Rajasthan, with the REET 2021 examination at the centre of the allegations. The letter, submitted along with what Meena described as confidential documents, photographs, and supporting evidence to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, comes amid a nationwide political storm over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination.
Key Allegations in the Letter
Dr Meena's letter names former Education Minister Govind Singh Dotasra and former Technical Education Minister Dr Subhash Garg, while also levelling serious allegations against officials from the then Chief Minister's Office (CMO), former Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) office-bearers, and individuals linked to the Rajiv Gandhi Study Circle.
According to the letter, question papers for 17 of the 18 major competitive examinations conducted during the Congress party's five-year term were allegedly leaked in a systematic manner. Meena characterised the situation as 'institutionalised manipulation' of the futures of unemployed youth.
Allegations Against a Former Congress Minister
The letter further alleges that an unnamed former Congress minister amassed nearly ₹40 crore through a paper leak syndicate, with the funds allegedly channelled to finance his son's political and personal projects in Sikar. Meena did not identify the former minister by name in the letter.
REET 2021 and the Printing Press Controversy
On the REET 2021 examination specifically, Meena alleged that the Board of Secondary Education, Rajasthan, acting under pressure from the then Education Minister, the RPSC chairman, and senior officials, bypassed established procedures while awarding the question-paper printing contract to Kolkata-based Saraswati Printing Press. According to the letter, the press was allegedly not authorised to handle such highly confidential work, yet was reportedly awarded the contract for a second consecutive time in violation of prescribed rules.
The letter also claims that the Rajiv Gandhi Study Circle — which Meena alleges was established at the behest of senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi — had senior functionaries with direct links to the Congress leadership, and that several paper leak cases, including REET 2021, can be traced to individuals associated with the organisation.
ED Probe and PMO Involvement
Meena expressed disappointment over what he described as the slow progress of the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) investigation despite the availability of substantial evidence. He stated that he had previously met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the matter, and claimed the case was referred to the ED only after directives from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
In his letter, Meena has urged Home Minister Shah to direct Central agencies — including the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) — to immediately investigate the alleged masterminds behind the paper leak syndicate.
No Response from Congress Yet
The Congress party and the individuals named in the letter had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of reporting. This comes at a politically sensitive moment, with opposition parties nationally pressing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the NEET controversy — and the BJP, in turn, seeking to spotlight alleged examination irregularities from Congress-governed periods. How Central agencies respond to Meena's dossier will be closely watched in the weeks ahead.
Point of View
It attempts to reframe the exam integrity debate as a bipartisan failure, with Congress bearing the larger historical burden. The allegation that 17 of 18 exams were compromised is sweeping, but the letter's refusal to name the minister allegedly linked to ₹40 crore raises questions about the evidentiary basis being placed before Home Minister Shah. If the ED's pace has indeed been slow despite prior PMO direction, that is itself a story — one that neither side has fully answered. The real accountability test will come when, or if, Central agencies act on the dossier.
NationPress
29 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the REET 2021 paper leak case?
The REET 2021 (Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers) paper leak refers to allegations that question papers for the 2021 teacher recruitment examination in Rajasthan were leaked before the exam was conducted. Rajasthan Minister Dr Kirodi Lal Meena has now formally written to Home Minister Amit Shah seeking a CBI and ED investigation into the alleged leak and the broader pattern of exam irregularities during the previous Congress government.
Who has Kirodi Lal Meena named in his letter to Amit Shah?
The letter names former Education Minister Govind Singh Dotasra and former Technical Education Minister Dr Subhash Garg, along with officials from the then Chief Minister's Office, former RPSC office-bearers, and individuals associated with the Rajiv Gandhi Study Circle. An unnamed former Congress minister is also alleged to have amassed nearly ₹40 crore through a paper leak syndicate.
What is the Rajiv Gandhi Study Circle's alleged role?
According to Meena's letter, the Rajiv Gandhi Study Circle — allegedly established at the behest of senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi — had senior functionaries with direct links to the Congress leadership, and several paper leak cases including REET 2021 can reportedly be traced to individuals associated with the organisation. These are allegations made in the letter; the organisation has not publicly responded.
What action has Kirodi Lal Meena demanded from the Centre?
Meena has urged Home Minister Amit Shah to direct the ED and the CBI to immediately investigate the alleged masterminds behind the paper leak syndicate. He has submitted a dossier of documents, photographs, and other evidence to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in support of his demands.
Has the Congress responded to these allegations?
The Congress party and the individuals named in Meena's letter had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of reporting. The timing of the letter — amid the national NEET controversy — is widely seen as part of a BJP effort to highlight alleged exam irregularities from the Congress's tenure in Rajasthan.
